Valve.



W. R. THOMAS.

VALVE.

APPLIUATIQR FILED JAH. 12. 1909. 927,438. Patented July 6, 1909. ZBHEBTB-BHEET l. Etai. 26 25 27 I" T" '92 ICzt f/ d ?26 /A l f rr 20" 2?# by vf/a 6 :2o/ 0/ l 9 l /7 /7 2. f6 fg Swanton mnllw. l wml on. mmmmnllm Hummm. u a

` W. R. THOMAS.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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WILLIAM R. THOMAS, OF CA VALVE PATENT OFFICE.

TASAU QUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

No. 927,438. Specification of Application filed January 12, 1909.

Letters Patent.

Serial No. 471,963.

Patented July c, 1909.

To all whom it may concern.'

Bc it known that I, WILLIAM R. THOMAS, a citizen ol' the United States, residing at Catasau ua, in the county ol' Lehigh and State of ennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description ol the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to valves, and especially to valves adapted to direct the flow of liquid or fluid in any of a number of different Ways.

An object ol' the present invention is to provide in a multiple Way valve improved means for operating the gates closing the ports of such valve independently.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a multiple way valve improved means for seating the gates.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of the improved valve. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ol the valve, one side being broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pyramidal seating member.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The valve illustrated in the drawings forming a part of the present application shows a four-Way valve, and while 1t Will ordinarily be employed in the production of a four-way valve, it is to be understood that the principle involved herein is applicable to an application embodying more or less ports according to circumstances and that the description here given as to a four-Way valve is only illustrative of the invention. As shown the casing 10 is provided With a plurality of nipples 11 here shown adapted for connection With a cast pipe, the valve ordinarily being employed for controlling large mains, but it is to be understood, of course, that the means for connecting the casing has nothing to do with the present invention.

The nipples 11 communicate with the interior of the valve casing 10 and at such communications bushings 12 are preferably ground or otherwise with means l'or proper engagement 'with the gates.

Above the casing 10 a housing 13 is secured in any approved manner as by being flanged at 14 and secured to a llange 15 ol' the casing by the bolts 16.

Within the corners of the casing 10 ribs 17 are formed 4)reducing guide-ways for gates 18, movable vertically therein. The gates 18 are provided with laces adapted for engagement with the bushings 12 so that when the gates are forced tightly against such bushings a Water or other liquid-tight joint is produced. The gates 18 are provided at their upper ends with socket members 19, through which screws 2O extend and with nuts 21 seated within the socket members 19 and embracing such screws 2U. The screws 20 extend upwardly and are provided with shaft portions 22 passing through stufling boxes composed of socket members 23 and followers 24, the latter being lorced to seat in any usual and ordinary manner as by the bolts 25 and with packing material 27 Within such stuffing boxes. At their upper ends the shaft portions 22 are reduced in size as at 27 and flanged nuts 28 are secured thereon.

It will be apparent that thc employment of a tool upon the nuts 28 and the rotation thereby of the screws 30 will move the gates 18 u Wardly or downwardly dependent upon the r irection of rotation of such screws.

Within the casing and at the bottom thereof a member called a pyramid member, being in fact a truste-pyramid, is secured, such member being shown in perspective at Fig. 3. The member comprises a number of sides equaling the number of nipples 11 and here numbered 29. The pyramid member is rovided with openings or passages 3() reglstering with the openings of the busliings 12 and with the nipples 11 and having ribs 31 disposed upon opposite sides of the openings 30, such ribs 30 being parallel in pairs upon each side of the pyramid but partaking of the inclination ol that side of the ramid. The gate members 18 are provided along their sides with ribs 32 produced at an incline, the same as the inclination of the sides of the pyramid and of the ribs 31, and as shown particularly in Fig. 2, and so positioned that the said ribs 32 move slidably u on the surface of the ribs 31 and when t e gates are at their downward limit inserted, such bushings, of course, being as shown in Fig. 1, the Wedging ribs 32 bearing against the ribs 31 force the ate 18 into intimate and close contact with t e bushings 12 and thereby close the passage through the nip )les 11.

It wi l be apparent that either one of the gates 18 may be raised to admit Huid through any one ol the nipples 1l and that any other one of the gates 18 may also be raised to permit the discharge of fluid through the corresponding nipple 11. In this way all of the passages leading to or from the valve easing are provided with independently movable gates so that either one may be opened or closed independently of all the others as may be found necessary or desirable.

What I claim is:-

1. In a multi le way valve, a easing provided with a p uralit of ports, an equal number of gates slidab y disposed within the easing and ada ted to close the or-ts, a frusto-pyramida member dis ose( within the easing and adapted to Werge the gates to seat, and means to manipulate the gates.

2. In a multiple way valve, a easing provided with a plurality of passa es, a similar number of gates adapted to o ose the passages1 a pyramidal member disposed Within the easing and provided with passages registering with the iassages of the easing and adapted to force the gates to seat, and means to move the gates.

3. In a multiple way valve, a easing provided with a plurality of passages7 a pyramidal member dis osed intermediate the passages and provi( ed with openings registering therewith, a pluralit f of gates adapted to be forced between the pyramidal member and the entrance to the passages, and means to move the gates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM It. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

FREI). THOMAS AGTHE, F. J. WEHRLE. 

